Extensible bracelet having detachable links



Sept. 3, 1963 o. BENAGLIO 3,102,401

EXTENSIBLE BRACELET HAVING DETACHABLE LINKS Filed Sept. 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 3, 1963 o. BENAGLIO EXTENSIBLE BRACELET HAVING- DETACHABLE LINKS 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Sept. 5, 1961 1 l I IIIIIlIIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIII I United States Patent 3,102,401 EXTENSIBLE BRACELET HAVING DETACHABLE LINKS Osvaldo Benaglio, Milan, Italy, assignor to Rod! & Wienenberger Aktiengesellschaft, Baden, Germany, a

German company 7 Filed Sept. 5, 1961, Ser. No. 135,941

Claims priority, application Italy May 5, 1961 1 Claim. (Cl. 63-5) This invention relates to a resiliently extensible articulated bracelet, particularly for use as a watch wrist-band, including substantially box-shaped juxtaposed aligned links interconnected by pairs of intermediate members inserted into the links, which positively engage at one end the preceding and next following link on the lower and upper side, respectively, of the bracelet. Leaf spring members are inserted by pairs into the individual links tending to hold the juxtaposed links close to one another. The spring members resiliently oppose extension of the bracelet, and the interconnecting members permit extension of the bracelet only by drawing apart the successive links alternately at the top and bottom surface of the bracelet, the links thereby abut one another by their bottom and top edges, respectively. The leafspring members are thus compressed during extension of the bracelet by the drawing of the upper interconnecting members towards the lower one-s.

This construction allows for easy assembly and disassembly of the bracelet, which may be increased or reduced in length at will in order to meet variable requirements. The extensibility of the assembled bracelet is improved over extensible bracelets of conventional type, interconnection of the links being maintained even on distorsion of the bracelet in use.

The invention further covers the special structure of the intermediate interconnecting members and slots and apertures cut in the ends of the juxtaposed box-shaped links composing the bracelet to thereby form teeth. These teeth are juxtaposed in two consecutive links interconnected by the intermediate members, the teeth entering suitable end slots in said intermediate members, an open slot at the other end of said members completing interconnection of two links by engagement of the flanks of the latter. An inwardly bent end of the interconnecting members holds in position the shaped leaf spring members which in turn are arranged by pairs within the links.

The invention shall be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show an embodiment thereof by way of example.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of four consecutive links of the bracelet with their respective interconnecting members and internal spring members.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the box-shaped links, the two interconnecting members to be fitted to one end of each box-shaped link being shown removed to more clearly illustrate the structure, the pair of interconnecting members at the other link end not being shown for the sake of simplicity. FIG. 2 further shows the two shaped leaf spring members for interposition between said interconnecting members.

FIGURES 3 and 4 are an end view and a part longitudinal sectional view along line 4-4, respectively, of the improved bracelet.

FIGURES 5 and 6 are views similar to FIGURES 3 and 4 but with the components of the bracelet being shown during extension of the bracelet.

Referring to the drawings, box-shaped links 1 of the bracelet include abutting side flanks 2 with longitudinal slots 6 in the ends thereof cut intermediate the height of said flanks, said slots ending by apertures 5 reaching to 3,102,401 Patented Sept. 3, 1963 their respective bottom walls interconnecting the two flanks. The apertures 5 extend towards the lower bracelet surface in one flank and towards its upper surface in the other flank, as clearly shown in FIG. 2. The apertures 5 form together with the slots 6 teeth 3 and webs 4. The links 1 are coupled with one another by juxtaposing flanks 2 provided with similarly directed apertures 5, that is, downwardly or upwardly directed aperture-s.

Thre are four interconnecting members 7, 7 associated with each pair of consecutive links 1 in an uninterrupted annulus. The members 7, 7 are all alike .and are arranged by pairs at each link end. The members 7, 7' connect, for instance, at the bottom and top each link with the preceding and the next following one, respective y.

Two similar spring members 11, 11' are oppositely arranged within each box-shaped link, the spring members being shaped as shown in FIG. 2.

The lower and upper interconnecting members 7, 7 are each formed with triangular end teeth 8 adapted to hold the spring members 11--11 against axial displacement.

A slot 9 is cut along the middle longitudinal axis in the interconnecting members 7, 7, said slot extending from the tooth 8 over a length corresponding, inclusive of a certain play, with the length of the teeth 3 on the links 1 and of a width equalling, inclusive of a certain play, the sum of the thicknesses of two coupled teeth 3 on the juxtaposed links to be interconnected. A slot 10 is cut in the other end of the members 7, 7 along the same axis as slot 8. The slot 10 is adapted to embrace the two flanks 2 of the juxtaposed links, inclusive of a certain play.

Assembly of the lower and upper interconnecting members 7, 7 is easily eitected by axially fitting said interconnecting members into the slots 6 and pushing them forwardly to cause the slot 10 to embrace the juxtaposed flanks 2.

As will be easily seen on comparison of FIGURES 3 and S, the members 7, 7 in each pair are drawn towards one another on extension on the bracelet for lengthening it. Consequently, the spring members 11, 11' are collapsed at their shaped ends 12, 13, their middle regions keeping in mutual contact, so that the links 1 can sequentially take positions alternately inclined in opposite directions while in contact at their opposite edges, as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6.

As the traction eflort ceases, the spring members 11-41, which had just been loaded, push back the members 7, 7 forcing them apart and drawing together the links 1 towards the position shown in FIG. 37 In use as a watch wrist band the bracelet is lengthened for slipping it over the hand, whereupon it again contracts under the action of the spring members 11, 11' to resiliently adhere to the wrist.

What I claim is:

A resiliently extensible articulated bracelet comprising:

(a) individual juxtaposed hollow links, the links being substantially box shaped with side flanks, a top, a bottom and open ends,

(b) means at each end of each link defining longitudinal slots in each side flank opening from the link ends, each slot ending by an aperture communicating with the respective slot, said apertures extending from the slots in one flank toward the link top and from the slots in the other flank toward the link bottom, the slots and apertures thereby defining an end tooth at each end of each side flank,

(c) intermediate interconnecting members for the links, each such member including a pair of spaced apart aligned longitudinal slots therein,

(d) the individual hollow links and intermediate connecting members being arranged and interconnected such that each link is positively connected at both ends thereof to the next link by the intermediate interconnecting members with similarly located teeth juxtapositioned and received between the side edges of one of the pair of slots in a related connecting member for two consecutive links, and the side flanks of juxtapositioned links received between the side edges of the other of the pair of aligned slots in said related connecting member, and

(e) a pair of leaf spring members having shaped ends enclosed by each link, the pair of spring members mutually contacting in their middle regions and contacting the interconnecting membens by their shaped ends, thereby tending to maintain the links juxtaposed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Stiegele July 1, 1958 

